It used to be that everyone wanted to wear a Dallas Cowboys jersey. Now, the drama swirling around owner Jerry Jones and Micah Parsons has fans and players alike wondering if the tide is turning. How did things get so tense between one of the league’s biggest personalities and one of its brightest stars, and can the Cowboys find a way out?
Why Did Jerry Jones’ Standoff With Micah Parsons Reach This Point?
The Cowboys have long carried the nickname “America’s Team”, but at the moment, the spotlight looks a lot more like scrutiny. Instead of inspiring admiration, the team is leaving people puzzled. Jones, never one to shy away from attention, is right in the middle of the latest headline, this time for his contract showdown with Parsons, his star defender.
Jones has a history of big statements and big negotiations, especially when it comes to his top players. He’s known for stretching out contract talks, like he did with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, ensuring that the media keeps its eyes on Dallas every step of the way. Now, all of that focus is on Parsons. He delivered right from the moment he set foot in Dallas as a first-round pick: NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Pro Bowler every season, and a three-time All-Pro, Parsons seemed like a lock for a massive payday.
As Parsons watched top pass rushers like Myles Garrett, Nick Bosa, and T.J. Watt land record deals, expectations only grew. Watt’s contract made headlines as the highest for a non-quarterback, with a yearly salary around $41 million. Instead of following suit, though, Jones turned contract negotiations into national talking points. He even criticized Parsons for a 2024 injury, saying it cost more games than it did. Parsons has said he was told he would have to negotiate without an agent, which is rarely in a player’s best interest.
Bringing fresh insight, former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky took to ESPN’s “Get Up” to break down what’s happening with the Cowboys. He put it bluntly: “I think it’s the biggest problem Jerry Jones has had since the ’90s. When was the last time a player said, ‘I don’t want to play for the Cowboys’? Every player says, ‘I want to play for the Cowboys.’ Now one of their most outspoken players, one of their best players, has publicly said, ‘I don’t wanna play here anymore’ and it’s because of the way that I’ve been talked about or my contract has been talked about.”
“I think it’s the biggest problem Jerry Jones has had since the 90s.”
—@danorlovsky7 on Micah Parsons requesting a trade from the Cowboys pic.twitter.com/sUqYoZeMbP
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) August 4, 2025
Orlovsky is likely referring to the old drama between Jones and then-coach Jimmy Johnson. Despite winning two Super Bowls together, Jones and Johnson clashed over who deserved credit, leading to a rift that played out under the glare of national TV. Back then, Jones was also caught up in battles with the NFL itself over marketing rights, even dragging the league to court. For as long as anyone can remember, top players have lined up for a shot to star in Dallas, so seeing a star want out now feels like uncharted territory.
Orlovsky summed it up: “Everyone craves to go play for the Cowboys because they know what it does for their pockets, for their post-career playing life, for the way that they’re treated,” he said. “I don’t think it’s real. I don’t think it’s eventually or actually going to happen, but the fact that it’s come out and been said publicly is the biggest problem Jerry Jones has had in like 30 years.”
As things stand, Jones is urging fans not to worry. He’s told the media there’s no plan to trade Parsons so fans can sleep easy at night. Even so, with training camp in full swing and negotiations stalled, the standoff is far from over. For now, all eyes are on Dallas to see how (or if) the Cowboys can get back on the same page, or if this saga gets even messier.
